Automatic starting system



Dec. 28, 1937. M, w MORRls 2,103,375

AUTOMATIC STARTING SYSTEM Filed June 29, 1955 '5? M WSLM,

Patented Dec. 28,1937

UNITED STATES AUTOMATIC STARTING SYSTEM Marion W. Morris, Logansport, Ind., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Eclipu Machine Company, Elmira Heights, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 29, ms, Serial No. 29,024

8 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic starting systems for the internal combustion engines of motor vehicles and the like, and is directed more particularly to a starting system which is capable of initially starting the engine of such a vehicle, and automatically re-starting the engine if it stalls or stops.

It is well known in the art to provide starting systems in which the switch for the starting motor is automatically reclosed upon a false start or stalling of the engine, but in such systems with which I am familiar it has always been the practice to provide a somewhat arbitrary time delay, such as a vibrating reed, a dash pot or the like, or a holding coil which is reieasedby dropping off of the generator current below a predetermined minimum. The main objection to such starting systems has been that this arbitrary time period, if not of suflicient duration, would under some conditions reclose the starter motor switch and actuate the starter motor either before the engine stopped spinning or rocking, or before the starter motor stopped spinning; in the case of a false start, for example, and consequently the full cranking force of the starting motor would not be imparted tothe engine. on the other hand, if this time delay period were made too long, disadvantages arose from the fact that too long a period intervened between stalling or stopping of the motor and re-cranking thereof.

In addition, the prior art systems which are known to me possessed another disadvantage in that they employed a holding coil for opening and maintaining open the circuit through the starting motor switch relay, which coil was energized by the current produced by a generator driven by the vehicle engine. Consequently, operation of the system was dependent upon proper generator current, and development of less than a predetermined current rendered the system inoperative, whether caused by low battery volt age or improper generator operation.

The present invention has for its primary purpose the provision of an automatic starting system which eliminates the objectionable features of the prior art systems andrenders the starting system positive in operation under all conditions.

One object of the present invention is to provide a starting system in which reclosing of the starting rotor switch is controlled by a time delay mechanism mechanically responsive to the rotation of a shaft or the like which is rotated in accordance with the operation of the vehicle engine. In this manner the starting motor cir- (Ci. zao ssi cuit can never be reclosed, in case of a false start or stalling oi the engine, until a predetermined time after the engine has come substantially to rest. This time delay is not dependent upon a minimum generator current, a vibrating reed or the like, but is a direct function of the operation of the engine, and cannot produce closing of the starting switch until after the engine has ceased to rotate.

Another object of the present invention is the 10 provision of a time delay mechanism which is entirely independent of generator current, so that. it is operative regardless of the functioning of the generator to produce current. Thus,.the starting system is provided with a mechanically responsive time delay mechanism controlled solely by the rotation of a suitable member driven as a result of the operation of the engine. This member may comprise the engine crankshaft, the came shaft, the distributor shaft, the generator shaft, or the like.

4 further advantage secured by the present inventionis the provision of a time delay mechanism of simple and compact design, which can be readily mounted within a housing and secured directly to a generator housing or the like without requiring any extensive re-designing or reorganization of the existing motor structure and ignition system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic starting system in which only one relay is required in the control circuit for the starting switch, and the control of this circuit upon stopping of the engine is accomplished by a time-controlled snap switch, pre- 5 venting the customary arcing at the contacts which has heretofore been an objectionable feature of such switches.

Still another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a compensating mechanism included in the time delay mechanism to maintain thetime delay substantially constant irrespective Y of temperature variations.

Other objects" and advantages of the present invention will appear morefully from the following detailed description which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, will disclose to those skilled in the art the construction and operation of a preferred form of the present invention.

In the drawing: a I

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic circuit illustrating the starting system of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed view of the time delay Figure 3 is a view showing a modified form of control mechanism;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the time delay mechanism mounted on the generator of the vehicle; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a modified starting circuit.

Referring now in detail to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, I disclose an internal combustion engine 5, provided with the usual type of transmission 6, and having a starter motor1 connected thereto for cranking the engine 5.

The control circuit for actuating the starter motor 1 comprises a battery 8, connected through the conductor 9 to an ignition switch ill, the ignition switch being connected through conductor l2 to an energizing coil l3 for controlling operation of the starting motor switch I4, the current being divided from the coil i3 through the conductors I5l6 to respective pairs of contacts I1 and I8, the pairs of contacts I1 and I8 being connected through the armatares l9 and 20, respectively, with ground at 22 and 23, respectively.

A suitable core 24 is provided for controlling the operation of the armature IS, the armature [9 being mounted upon a pivot 25 disposed intermediate its ends, and being normally biased in a counter-clockwise direction by means of the spring 25, thereby normally tending to maintain the contacts ll open.

The armature 20 is controlled by core H, the armature 20 being pivoted at 28 and being normally biased to contact-closed position by means of the spring 29 at the opposite end thereof.

A control circuit for the contacts [8 is provided which comprises the ignition switch l0 connected through conductors l2 and 3'!) to a coil 32 for energizing the core 21, the coil 32 being connected through the conductor 33 to a contact 34 forming a part of the time delay control mechanism. The core 24 is energized by a single turn 35 of the conductor 9 leading through the conductor 35 to one contact 37 of the starting motor switch M. The other contact 35 of this switch is connected through the conductor 39 to the starting motor terminal 45, the starting motor being grounded as indicated at M.

Referring now in more detail to the time delay mechanism, the contact 34 is adapted to be engaged by the resilient contact fingers 52 carried by the control member 53 which is. pivoted at its lower end 5% for rotative movement to bring the contact fingers 52 into and out of engagement with the contact 35. The control member 43 is connected to ground as indicated at 45.

The operation of the time delay mechanism is controlled by a shaft 45, which shaft is rotated during operation of the engine 5, and may comprise either the generator shaft, the cam shaft, the crank shaft, or the distributor shaft of the engine, being any shaft which is responsive to self-operation or spinning of the engine 5 and rotates only when the engine 5 is being cranked or is operating.

The shaft 46 is provided with an eccentrically mounted cam member 5? which, during operation of the engine 5, rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow. The'control member %3 is provided with an arcuate portion 48 which is Connected to the arcuate portion 48 of the control member 43 is an arm or rod member 49 which extends into a suitable cylinder 50. The rod at its inner end has a piston member 52 adapted to be reciprocated within the cylinder 50 upon rocking movement of the member 43 about the pivot 44.

The piston 52 is provided with a by-pass or meteredopening 53, and the cylinder 50 is filled with oil of suitable viscosity whereby the mechanism forms a dash pot for delaying the movement of the control member 43 by reason of the displacement of the oil from one side of the piston 52 to the'other side thereof through the opening 53.

The control member 43 is normally biased in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot 44 by means of the tension spring 54, connected to the control member 43 above its pivot 44, and at its opposite end connected to the extending end 550i a thermostat member 55 mounted on a fixed support 51. The thermostat member 55 is preferably formed as a bimetallic strip of metal, the two metallic strips having different coefficients of expansion. Upon increase in temperature, the member 56 is adapted to spread outwardly, the end 55 moving to the right and decreasing the tension in the spring 54. Upon decrease in temperature, the member 55 contracts, moving the end 55 inwardly or to theleft as viewed in Figure 1, and thereby producing an increased tension in the spring 54.

In the operation of the starting system shown in Figure 1, the various parts of the device, when the engine is not in operation, are as shown in Figure 1, with the major portion of the cam member 67 disposed to the left of the shaft 65.

In order to start the engine 5, the ignition switch If! is closed. This completes a circuit fromthe battery 8 through the conductor 5 and conductor 52 to the coil l3, and from the coil 43 through the conductor IS, the closed contacts 58, which are normally held closed by the spring 29, the armature 20 and the fulcrum 28 to ground at 23. Closing of this circuit at the ignition switch therefore results in energization of the coil i3, resulting in closing of the switch it across the contacts 3? and 38, and therefore resulting in flow of current from the battery through the conductors 9, 36 and 35 to the starter motor, thus producing cranking of the engine 5. During the initial actuation of the starting motor l, a heavy flow of current is required, due to the cranmng efiort applied, and consequently a heavy current flows through the single turn 35 of the conductor 5 about the relay 25. This energizes the core 24 to rotate the armature [9 about its pivot 25 to close the contacts l1. Closure of these contacts results in a circuit being completed through the switch it, conductor l2, conductor l5, contacts if and pivot 25 to ground at 22, thereby providing asecond path for current flow through the coil l3. As long as the cranking effort is being applied by the starting motor l'l, heavy current is required, and consequently the contacts I? are maintained closed to maintain the coil l3 energized.

Upon initial rotation of the engine 5 under the cranking efiort imparted thereto by the starting motor l, the shaft 46, which rotates in response to rotation of the engine 5, rotates to bring the major portion of the cam 41 against the inner surface of the arcuate portion 48 of the control member 43, moving this member to the right, as

shown in Figure 2, and thus resulting in engagement of the contact fingers 42 with the contact block 34. At the same time the piston 52 is moved inwardly of the cylinder 50, displacing oil through the opening 53 to the rear side of the advancing piston.

The initial rotation of the cam 41 therefore results in closing of the circuit from the ignition switch It through the conductor 30, coil 32 and conductor 33 to ground at 45. This results in venergization of the core 21, attracting the armature 20 downwardly about its pivot 26, and thereby breaking the circuit at the contacts 13. Thus the circuit through the coil I3 is maintained through the closed contacts l1 which are held closed by the heavy flow of current to the starting motor.

Upon initial self-operation of the engine, the flow of current to the starting motor I is considerably reduced, and the core 24 is therefore deenergized, whereupon the spring 26 rotates the armature I9 about its pivot 25 to open the contacts l1, deenergizing the coil l3, since the contacts I8 have already been opened upon initial operation of the engine 5. This result: in opening of the switch 14, breaking the circuit extending to the starting motor 1, and thus deenergizing the starting motor.

As long as the engine is maintained in self operation, therefore, the armatures 20 and I9 are held away from their contacting engagement and maintain the starting switch l4 deenergized.

Due to the continuous rotation of the shaft 46 during self operation of the engine, the control member 43 is maintained in locked positi n so that the contacts 42 and 34 maintain a closed cir-.

cuit to ground at 45. The cylinder 50 and piston 52 also provide a dash pot action which delays the movement of the control member 48 outwardly under the influence of spring 54, and the coil 32 is therefore maintained energized to hold the contacts 18 open. However, if the engine makes a false start, that is, fires for one or two cycles of operation and then stalls, it is desirable to close the switch in order to re-actuate the starting motor. It is necessary, however, to provide some means for preventing closure of the switch l4 before the engine 6 comes to rest, otherwise there will be a clashing of the starting gears, and no cranking effort will be applied to the engine.

For this purpose the time delay mechanism is provided, whereby upon the cessation of rotation of the shaft 46, the major portion of the cam 41 will move to a. position outwardly to the left of the center of shaft 46, as is well known. The control member 43 will still be maintained in its inward position with the contacts 42 and 34 in engagement, however, due to the restricted fiow of oil through the passageway 53. A predetermined time delay is thus provided, by controlling the size of the opening 53, to assure that after the shaft 46 comes substantially to rest there will still be a fixed time interval before the control member 43 will move outwardly under the ten-' sion of spring 54 to open the engagement between contacts 34 and 42.

Upon opening of the circuit between the contacts 42 and 34, the coil 32 is deenergized, and the armature 20 moves into contact-closed position under the influence of spring 29. This provides a closed circuit for the coil l3, thereby energizing this coil and closing the switch l4 to reenergize the startl ng motor I. It is obvious, therefore, that the s ing motor 1 will not be reenergized until after he engine has come to a complete stop, due to the time delay provided by the dash pot connected to the control member 43.

Similarly, if the engine, after it has been in operation for a considerable length of time, stalls for some reason, the same operation will be repeated, namely, a fixed time delay will be effected after the shaft 46 comes to a complete stop, before the contacts 42 and 34 will be opened to close the circuit through the coil l3 to reclose the starter motor switch 14.

In order to compensate for variations in the viscosity of the oil within the cylinder 50, I provide the thermostat 56 which increases the tenslon on the spring 54 upon decreases in temperature, whereby the resistance to flow of the oil is automatically compensated for by the increased tension of the spring so that the time delay remains substantially constant. Similarly, upon increases in temperature which would decrease the viscosity of the oil within the cylinder 56, the thermostat 56 operates to decrease the tension in the spring 64, so that at all times the time delay effected by the dash pot mechanism is maintained substantially constant, and therefore the operation of. the time control mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of contacts 42 and 34 will be maintained substantially constant.

In Figure 3 I have shown a modified embodiment of the invention in which a rotatable shaft 66 is provided which is controlled by operation of the engine 5, and is provided with a. cylindrical member 62 mounted coaxially thereof, the member 62 being engaged by the curved portion 63 of a control member 64 carrying a contact 65 at its free end. At the opposite end, the control member 64 is connected to a spring 66 tensioned between the end of the control member and a fixed grounded support 61.

The contact 66 of the control member 64 is adapted to engage a corresponding contact 68 connected through a conductor 33' to a coil such as the coil 32 of Figure 1. In the operation of the control mechanism shown in Figure 3, rotation of shaft 66 in the direction indicated by the arrow results in movement of the control member 64 in a counter-clockwise direction about the shaft, due to the frictional engagement between the curved portion 63 thereof and the surface of the member 62. This results in closing of contact between the contacts 65 and 66, completing a circuit through the coil, such as the coil 32, for opening the grounded path through the en ergizing coil l3 of the starter switch I4. This opening of the circuit through the coil l3 results in maintaining the starter motor switch l4 in open position as long as the shaft 60 is rotating. Upon stopping of the shaft 60, the spring 66 draws the control member 64 in a clockwise direction about the member 62, moving the contact 65 away from the contact 68, and thereby opening the circuit through the coil 32, whereby the grounded'path through the actuating coil [3 v of the starter motor switch I4 is closed to reclose the starter motor switch. Inasmuch as the frictional engagement between the portion 63 of the member 64 and the surface of the member .62 is such that the spring 66 will not snap the control member 64 away from contact engagement until the shaft has come to a complete rest, it is obvious that the starter motor switch will not be closed until the engine 6 has come to a complete rest, which is the desired condition which should bgegttained before the starter motor is re-actua The structure shown in Figure 4 shows the application of the present control mechanism to the generator shaft of a motor vehicle. In this figure I have diagrammatically indicated a generator 10, mounted upon a suitable support I2, and carrying at its rear end a housing 13 in which is disposed the time delay control mechanism shown in Figure 1, corresponding reference numerals indicating corresponding parts of the time delay mechanism. It is thus apparent that I may mount the entire time delay control mechanism upon the end of the generator housing, whereby the automatic starting circuit of the present invention may be directly incorporated upon present type motor vehicles without requiring any extensive changing or reorganization of the structure. By mounting the entire control mechanism within this housing, it may be readily applied to a generator or any other rotating part of the engine, and provides a compact and simplified starting circuit control mechanism.

Obviously, the control mechanism containedwithin the housing 13 could be equally well applied to the cam shaft, distributor shaft or crank shaft of the engine, with slight modifications.

The modified circuit shown in Figure 5 is similar in general to the circuit shown in Figure 1, but eliminates the core 21, coil 32, the armature 2B and contacts l8, the conductor l6 leading from the coil l3 being directly connected to a normally closed snap switch '15 grounded at 16. This snap switch is provided with an extended operating handle 11 received in the forked end 18 of a control member l9 corresponding to the control member 43 of Figure 1. The remainder of the circuit corresponds to that shown in Figure 1 and is indicated by corresponding reference numerals.

In the operation of the circuit shown in Figure 5, the initial cranking of the engine by the starting motor 1 results in rotation of cam 21, moving control member 19 to the right, and snapping the operating lever ll of switch 15 to the right, opening the circuit between the contacts of the switch to provide for 'deenergization of coil l3 upon reduction in current flow through turn 35, which causes opening of contacts ll. As long as the engine is self-operating or spinning, the control member 79 is held to the right, keeping switch 15 open. Upon substantial stopping of the shaft carrying cam 41, the spring 54 urges the member 19 to the left, being restrained by the dash pot 56 until the oil is displaced through the piston. However, this time delay provides for assuring that the engine will come to a complete rest before the end 78 of member 79 moves lever I? over center position to snap the switch closed.

This snap action switch prevents any arcing at the contacts during the slow return movement of the member '59 to the left. It is obvious that such a switch construction could be readily incorporated in place of contacts 34 and 42 in Figure 1, and the invention is to be understood as embracing such a construction.

The essential feature underlying the present invention is the provision of a time delay control mechanism which is mechanically responsive to rotation of an engine-driven part, and'provides for control of a suitable circuit to prevent closure of the starting motor switch until after such time as the engine comes to a complete rest. The provision of the constant time delay dash pot provides for a constant time delay to insure that all parts of the engine have completely stopped before the circuit for reenergizing the starter motor switch is completed.

It will be apparent that no reliance upon current produced by the generator driven by the engine, or from any other similar electrically controlled circuit, is necessary. In this-connection the entire arrangement comprises a mechanical'control of the time delay mechanism in response to engine operation. Further, the time delay is coordinated directly with the rotative effort produced by the engine, so that no reclosure of the circuit can be made even if the engine spins for a relatively long period of time, since the circuit for reenergizing the starter motor switch will not be closed until after the engine comes to a complete rest. It is believed that these features are broadly new over the constructions with which I am familiar.

Having described my invention in accordance with the patent statutes, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a starting system for internal combus tion engines, a control circuit for said system including a normally closed set of cont-acts, means including mechanical means operated in response to operation of said engine for holding said contacts apart, means for introducing a time delay in reclosure of said contacts after said engine has stopped operating, and means for maintaining said time delay constant during temperature variations.

2. In an electric system for internal combustion engines, a starting system including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit therefor including two sets of contacts in parallel, one

set of said contacts being normally open and the other set being normallyclosed, means responsive to cranking of said engine for closing said normally open. set of contacts, means responsive to operation of said engine for opening said normally closed set of contacts, means responsive to self-operation of said engine for opening said normally open contacts, and means for maintaining a substantially constant time delay in closing of said normally closed contacts after said engine comes to rest, independent of temperature variations.

3. In a.starting system for internal combustion engines, a magnetic starting switch, a-control circuit therefor, a shaft rotated upon cranking of said engine, means controlled by operation of said shaft for opening said control circuit during operation of said engine, said means providing for closing of said circuit when said shaft stops rotating, means for introducing a predetermined time interval between stopping of rotation of said shaft and closing of said circuit, and compensating means for maintaining said time interval constant during variations in surrounding temperature.

4. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a shaft driven thereby, a cam mounted on" said shaft, a starting system for said engine including a control circuit therefor, a pair of normally closed contacts in said control circuit, magnetic means for opening said contacts, a secondary circuit for energizing said magnetic means, means operated by said cam for closing said secondary circuit upon rotation of said shaft,

fluid-controlled means for holding said circuit closing means in closed position during rotation of said cam, and spring means tending to open said secondary circuit and operable to open the same when said shaft comes substantially to rest, said fluid controlled means delaying the action of said spring means for a predetermined time after said shaft comes substantially to rest.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine, means for cranking said engine, control means therefor having two sets of contacts in parallel, one set of said contacts being held closed only during cranking of said engine, the

other set of contacts being normally closed, means including cam means for opening said normally closed contacts upon initial cranking of said engine and maintaining said contacts open during any movement of said engine, and

means for closing said contacts a predetermined time after said engine comes to rest.

6. In an automatic starter control for internal combustion engines, a magnetic starting switch and a control circuit therefor including a pair of normally closed contacts, means for opening said contacts including an element movable'by rotation of the engine to be started, yielding means for returning said element to normal position, and thermostatic means for varying the tension of said yielding means.

'7. In an automatic starter control for internal combustion engines, a magnetic starting switch and a control circuit therefor including a pair ing element rotatable with a member of the engine to be started, a mechanical connection between said element and said'switch element whereby movement of the actuating element in either direction of rotation intermittently moves the switch element positively to open said contacts, means for delaying motion of the switch element to close the contacts, and means for preventing interruption of the cranking operation until the engine becomes self-operative. MARION W. MORRIS. 

